A Guide to Becoming Useful
by Violetwings22
Summary: A female Hiccup describes her journey from becoming the runt of the tribe, to becoming the Tamer of Dragons. A gender bent version with extra insight to the life of a special Viking girl.
1. Chapter 1

A small flame blossomed in the darkness, revealing a petite, frail-looking girl. The light also revealed a small room covered in drawings, pictures, and several books and pamphlets. A worn, leather book was sprawled across her lap and a charcoal pencil was balanced between her fingers. The girl frowned at the sound of rain against her ceiling before writing...

 _My name is Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III. I have wavy auburn hair and green eyes that everyone says I inherited from my mother. I am fifteen years old. I am also the smallest Viking in my tribe. I've decided to write this journal to keep track of everything in my life._

The next page showed a detailed drawing of an ocean and a small village on an island. Seemingly coming to life, colors were added until the dark water splashed a rock. A place where it looked to be a nice, peaceful night.

 _This is 's twelve days north of hopeless, and a few degrees south of freezing to death. It's located solidly on the meridian of misery. My village. In a word, sturdy. And it's been here for seven generations, but every single building is new. We have fishing, hunting, and a charming view of the sunsets. The only problems are the pests. You see, most places have mice or mosquitos. We have..._

A loud reptilian roar split the nightly tranquility. A cherry red Monstrous Nightmare roared again, fighting off five or six Vikings. It unleashed a steady stream of fire before taking off with a couple of sheep in its massive claws.

.. _.dragons_.

A group of multicolored Deadly Nadders squawked with several sheep in their mouths, being chased by another group of Vikings. The Vikings managed to duck out the way of the Nadder's spiked shoots.

 _Most people would leave. Not us. We're Vikings._

A man relentlessly beat a Gronkle in the face with a large hammer, struggling to get it to release the livestock it held. The Gronkle merely shook off the man and continued to hover away.

 _We have stubbornness issues_.

Several more Vikings were chasing a large dragon, as one spilt up from the group to place a dented sword on a countertop. A large, rough hand swiped it off the counter, a large glow left the building. Inside, revealing a forge, a man with a peg leg was shaping the now red sword with a hammer replacing one of his hands.

 _This is Gobber, a meathead with attitude and interchangeable hands._

Back outside the forge, the battle is calming down as only a few dragons are still fighting. The largest Viking with a red beard strikes a Monstrous Nightmare with a hammer.

 _That's Stoick the Vast. Chief of the say that when he was a baby, he popped a dragon's head clean off of its I believe it?_

He managed to grab a hold of the tail and hurl it at a nearby Nadder, forcing them both the leave empty clawed.

 _Yes I do._

He looked to the skies panting. Then, baby cries were heard from a midwives hut, drawing his attention. Having a child during a dragon raid was a terrifying thing, especially, if it was your own child.

 _I was born too early, making me a tiny baby._

He peeked around a curtain to see his wife, Valka, holding a small bundle. As glad as he was the baby survived, he was hoping for a warrior. Gobber approached him to clasp a hand on his shoulder.

" About time, eh? Aye never thought aye'd be an uncle"

His wive moved the bundle closer, holding it out to him. " Would you like to hold her?"

 _Her_? His mind was reeling. _He had a daughter?_ He held her as gingerly as a Viking could, afraid to break her in half.

The curtain moved back again, revealing a burly dark haired Viking. He gruffly nudged past Gobber to stand before Stoick. " Came ta' see tha' kid"

Stoick nodded briefly in greeting. "Spitelout"

Valka squeaked a bit n alarm as he removed her baby from the blanket with one hand. After being exposed to the cold air, the babe cried surprisingly loud. Spitelout grunted in disapproval.

" Just a wee runt." He placed her back on Valka's lap, who coddled the baby immediately. Spitelout paused before leaving. " Not much more than a hiccup"

 _After that, the name stuck._

Stoick glared at his back, then, turned to his wife, who gasped in wonder. She pointed a birthmark on the baby's back. A sign of Thor: the thunder bolt.

" She's going to do something amazing Stoick I can feel it!" Valka marveled.

Stoick nodded at his wife's words. Before kissing them both on top of the heads.

 _Our happy family moments didn't last long after that. Because, a few months later, a more devastating dragon raid happened._


	2. Chapter 2

**There was an interesting question, will Hiccup have a power from the birthmark? Originally, I had thought about it, but never intended for it to have a power. I also originally intended for this to be a 'characters react', but decided against it. I'm excited over all the positive reviews!**

 _Living without Mom was difficult. My father was born for being a chief, but not as a single father..._

Stoick pried the front door to his home wide open, inhaling the fresh morning air before slamming it shut. A timid knock sounded from inside, as if to say _forgetting someone?_ He sighed before opening the heavy wooden to reveal a six year old Hiccup in a brown dress and matching fur boots.

 _We had a rocky relationship._

Hiccup rubbed her arms nervously. " Er...thanks...dad."

"No problem...Hiccup." They both looked away from each other.

 _I hated my name. It was basically a term for runt of the tribe. A mistake. I was determined to prove them wrong..._

Hiccup tripped over her too-big shoes and knocked into a glaring woman. "Sorry" she said, backing up...into a row of axes. They fell over and one clipped a unsuspecting chicken, who balked at the sight of its ruined tail feathers. " Sorry!" She jumped backwards again to hit a Viking rebuilding a house foundation. He accidentally flung a piece of wood into the structure, causing the entire thing to collapse in a fit of dust.

 _More or less._

Hiccup's shoulders flinched at the glares. " Sorry..."

Stoick sighed and stroked his red beard at the sight of the damage." Hiccup...go play with the other children"

Hiccup hung her head and trudged away. _But none of the other children like me..._

Eventually hearing others her age, she glanced up to see four children tossing what appeared to be a wooden ball in a game of hot potato. One was a very round, blonde haired boy, with surprisinglay shrimpy legs. Two, a boy and a girl, looking almost completely identical. And the last was a dark haired boy with a gruff face.

 _Oh and that's Fishlegs, Snotlout. The twins Ruffnut and Tuffnut. But where was..._

 _"_ Oof!" Hiccup was startled as a figure crashed into her. A figure with beautiful blue eyes staring into hers, blonde hair gleaming in the sunlight. She squeaked as a wooden ax lodged into the ground beside her.

 _...Asher._

Present day Hiccup looked up from her journal, with a grim face.

 _Asher was the son of a fishermen and a shieldmaiden. Asher and his father had a great relationship, his dad taught him everything about fighting dragons. Until one day, one of the fishing boats never came back. They said the boats were attacked by Scauldron. Asher was never the same since..._

She sheepishly smiled up at Asher. He glared at her before getting back up to pull up his ax and stalk off to join his chuckling friends. Without a single word.

 _I used to be great friends with him... before he stopped talking to me. Here lately, I've been noticing strange things happen to me whenever I'm around Asher. Every time I looked at him, I felt my heart race, my face warm up and my knees go weak. I'm just glad that this time, I didn't get a fit of hiccups again._

She blushed before seeking shade under one of Berk's many evergreens to calm her racing heart and pulled out a leather bound notebook. Thumbing through the pages until she found a charcoal pencil, she started sketching to scene before her.

I _was always known as the village loner. Ever since I could toddle, I was... different. Other Viking children wanted to destroy or practice with weapons, I wanted to create. Of course, even I wasn't completely alone..._

Hiccup stopped her pencil at the drawing's outline when she heard the tree above her rustle. Thinking it was nothing, she started to flick through the pages again. However, the rustling returned and someone dangled from the branches.

" Boo!"

 _Jack was the most well-known Viking of his generation. Top of his dragon training class, smart, tells great jokes, handsome, Gobber's first apprentice at the forge, and liked everyone. Even me._

Jack tilted his head at her and gave a smirk. " Neat drawing," Hiccup grinned, showing the gap between her front teeth." But...its upside down!"

Hiccup giggled. " No, you are!"

He laughed as he jumped from the tree, tapping Hiccup on the head. He always did that, laughing and smiling. Jack had black, windswept hair and green eyes that sparkled with mischief. "Clever girl"

 _Jack wasn't just a friend to me. He was more like a older brother. Jack's parents both died during separate dragon raids when he was five. Without any other relatives, he now lived with Gothi, the elder. One of my favorite things about him was he never let his past change him. He taught me many things like..._

 _How to draw..._

Jack carefully guided Hiccup's charcoal pencil across the page. "Then, you just..." They created another smooth line before a basic forest landscape started to form. Hiccup awed in wonder.

 _How to cook..._

Hiccup sprinkled some spices into a large stew pot as Jack dumped an entire bowlful of vegetables. " Now this is one of my favorite things to cook..." He said launching into yet another story.

 _How to sew..._

Jack and Hiccup both had pieces of fabric on their laps in the forge. Their fingers were delicately sewing elaborate works. Jack picked his up to reveal a patterned ax woven into the cloth. Hiccup giggled as Gobber looked at the two with a fond smile.

 _He showed me plants that were edible..._

While in the forest, Hiccup crouched down to several yellow flowers to pick a clump. " Look, Dandilions!" She turned to Jack, but started to giggle when he had one dangling from his mouth.

 _And some that could heal..._

Jack showed Hiccup the leaves. " These are best kept fresh for a faster..." His words guiding Hiccup as she wrote about the plant in a notebook. Jack smiled as he dropped the herb into a small jar.

 _He even showed me how to make perfumes and lotions like Gothi showed him._

Gothi set a fresh bunch of flowers in front of the duo. Jack picked several out and started to work. Hiccup did the same, but had a small clipping of grass.

 _My favorite smell was this grass we found in the forest. It was a spicy and fresh bunch that grew tall over Jack's head in a large field we had found._

Jack now relaxed beside Hiccup, watching her finish drawing. He closed his eyes contentedly, only to clack one open again at the sound of footsteps. Gobber stumbled towards them holding a worn bag.

" Time for tha' final test, Jack" He said, sifting the sack between his hooked hand to his real hand.

Jack sighed before getting up, brushing the dirt off his pants. He ruffled Hiccup's hair fondly, before following Gobber.

"Good luck!" Hiccup called, still sitting down.

 _For some reason...Jack never wanted me to g to see his training. Even though I was dying to go see him excel._

The other children, however, cheered and ran to follow. Snotlout threw the ball they were playing with at Hiccup and sneered. " Later little Hiccup" The ball smacked her painfully in the side and dropped with a loud _Crack!_

 _Wait a second...wooden balls didn't crack open..._ Hiccup realized as she leaned over to get a closer look.

However, something behind her huffed, blowing her hair away from her back. Something BIG behind her huffed and roared. Hiccup didn't even turn to know what.

The Monstrous Nightmare roared angrily, skin ablaze and glaring...


	3. Chapter 3

**Thanks for all the reviews! They make me excited and write faster updates. Also,not a crossover. I didn't know what to name Jack...I was completely stuck and he was close to being called 'Herb'.**

 _The one bad thing about being well-liked as much as Jack, is that at least one person always gets jealous._

Ripper was a gruff looking Viking with blonde hair in several dreadlocks and an eerie helmet proudly perched on his head. " About time" He snarled as soon as Gobber and Jack entered the arena.

" Al' righty then" Gobber sighed as he trudged to the cage door of the dragon, listening to the bucking beast inside. The crowd chanted above and around the arena, it seemed that every Viking in the village was there. " Vikings, grab your shield and 'ave your weapons at tha' ready."

Ripper plucked a lethal spear from the pile immediately, he scoffed as Jack chose an ax and a shield decorated with two crossing axes. " Shields are for wimps." He stated.

Jack shrugged a shoulder halfhearted. " Have it your way, Ripper"

" The best recruit picked by the elder wins the honor of killing 'is first dragon" Gobber announced. " _provided we find a Monsterous Nightmare tomorrow..."_ he said to himself. Ripper bounced on his feet.

"READY!" Gobber yelled, placing his hand over the door handle.

" Hey," Jack said, extending a hand. " May the best Viking win."

Ripper ignored the hand and spat at the ground. " I plan to..."

"SET!" Both boys tensed.

"AHHH!"

The crowd murmured in confusion. Stoick rose from his chair, a deep scowl already forming. "That was...Hiccup!"

Jack's eyes widened with worry " Hiccup...?"

The crowd stood silent a moment, listening. A loud roar pierced the air, causing Jack to panic further. " And a Monsterous Nightmare!"

Gobber shook his head. " What are tha' chances?" He turned to the trainees, a serious glare on his face. " Okay boys, we need ta'..." He trailed off when he realized Jack missing and the arena door rushed open.

Ripper scowled. " Always the hero..." His bitter face twisted at the thought of losing the honor for fresh bloodshed.

( **Page break.. didn't show last time)**

Hiccup screamed and threw herself flat on the ground, nearly knocking all the air from her lungs. The Nightmare's jaws clamped onto the tree behind her, temporarily getting them lodged in the bark. Hiccup took this as a chance to bolt away, as the dragon's mouth snapped the tree in half and roared.

 _I didn't know what to do...everyone was at the arena. Even if I could outrun the dragon, where would I go?_

Hiccup kept running towards the village, panting. The Monsterous Nightmare not far behind her. Viking homes were a blur around her. _Think, think, think..._

One particular thing stood out to her...the giant wooden tank that served as the water brigade's cart. _That's it! Jack once told me a wet dragon head can't let its fire..._

Hiccup rushed towards it, desperate to reach the soon-to-be lifeline. Before the Nightmare pounced and landed on the ground in front of her, knocking Hiccup flat on her back. The beast clamped a claw down, completely caging her. Its eyes illuminated by the savory feel of the kill as the back of its throat glowed by the napalm-like fire, soon to engulf her.

Hiccup whimpered and covered her eyes with both her hands, preparing for her end...only to feel the flames heat completely miss her body. She cautiously removed one hand from her eye. _What happened?_

When the fire receded, her hero was revealed to be a determined Jack. A scorched shield still burning with the sticky fire was protectively gripped in his hand. With a fierce battle cry, Jack raised his ax and charged!

Hiccup's jaw dropped at finally being able to see Jack's fighting skills. He was battling with such ferocity and without mercy. She gulped in fright.

 _It was a side of Jack I had never seen, and it was terrifying._

As the Nightmare lit up again, Hiccup remembered the water. She scrambled onto her feet and sprinted as fast as her legs could carry her. But the dragon had other ideas and knocked her away from the container with its rough, spiked tail.

She came into contact with the ground hard and rolled across the grassy terrain, the air effectively knocked from her again. Hiccup felt a large hand grip the back of her tunic and pull her up into the air. Her father scowling face looked torn between giving her a scolding, and killing the Monstrous Nightmare.

Hiccup glanced back at the fight to see Jack narrowly miss the dragon's toothy grin once more. She noticed the Nightmares back facing her intended plan. Taking a chance, she screamed. " Jack! The Tank!"

Jack followed her eyes and nodded, aiming his ax at the container. Before the dragon could snap at him again, he hurled it through the air. The ax spun around and embedded itself at the tank's spout, forming a sufficient hole.

Water poured heavily around the Nightmare, soaking the ground and causing it to stumble and slide towards the flow. The now-doused dragon's eyes suddenly became frightened at its predicament and attempted to flap away on its powerful wings.

A bola sliced through the air with a whistle and ensnared the Monstrous Nightmare's body, ceasing its ability to fly. It roared again, only to be silenced by another bola. Gobber appeared at the struggling beast's side and patted it cheerily.

"Off to tha' kill ring with 'ya!"

Several men heaved the large dragon over their shoulders, still fighting and twitching. Gobber faced Jack with a broad smile and patted his shoulder roughly. " Congrats lad!"

Jack's face twisted in confusion. " Wha..?"

"Ya' get ta' kill tha' dragon!" Gobber pointed his hooked attachment towards an amazed Gothi who nodded in agreement. Almost every Viking around him cheered, some bashed heads, but others proceeded to hoist Jack up onto two separate shoulders and carried away towards the excited spectators.

Ripper screeched in anger from the back of the crowd, throwing his spear somewhere in the village. " NO!" _Its all that brats fault._..He glared murderously at Hiccup, who was still suspended by her father.

Hiccup had attempted a getaway from her distracted father by trying to slip her tunic from his tightened fist. But he lifted her further off the ground to face his dissatisfied glance. She shrunk under the fearsome glower.

" Dad...I..I'm-" He interrupted her stammering by shouting an irritated " _Stop_!"

Her face fell. " Just...stop" He rubbed between his eyes with his free hand. " What were you thinking!"

"Dad I-" She was interrupted again when he set her back on the ground.

" No! Let me tell you what were thinking! You _weren't_ thinking! That's what you were thinking!"

He sighed and turned away. " Just think about the damage you caused and the people you almost killed today, Hiccup"

 _It was lot to take in._

Hiccup flinched when he walked away saying, " Just think about almost getting killed today yourself, Hiccup. Think about that"

 _But I wasn't. I was worried about Jack. For the past several years, the recruits sent to kill their first dragons had their remains left in the scorch marks on the kill ring's walls._

Cries of joy bursted from the Great hall. Music blared and people danced under beautiful lighting and the glow of torches. Gobber drunkenly raised a goblet filled to the brim with mead.

"A toast to Jack!" He slurred. " For going to be the first to kill tha' dragon in six years!" Other Vikings raised their mugs as well. Gobber looked around the room for the recruit. "Jack...?"

Hiccup sat on the moonlit docks of Berk, feet above the smooth ocean. She haphazardly wiped several tears from her face when a voice called out.

"Better pick up those feet before a Scauldron nibbles your toes off"

Hiccup didn't turn around when she tucked her feet under her. " Shouldn't you be at your party?"

The boards creaked as Jack walked and sat beside her. " Better question is...why aren't you there?"

She brought her knees up to her chest and propped up her chin " Wasn't wanted"

Jack chuckled quietly and patted her softly on the shoulder. " Everyone was wanted. What's really bothering you?"

A few tears threatened to leak from her eyes, she wiped at them again.

"Was it the talk with the Chief?" Hiccup nodded.

He sighed " He was just terrified about losing you"

Hiccup scoffed. " My dad doesn't get scared"

It was Jack's turn to scoff. " Everyone gets scared" Hiccup turned away from him and sat her head on her knees. " Just like I was today"

Hiccup's face scrunched up with tears, remembering her father's words. " Why am I so... _useless?"_

Jack's head snapped up " Listen to me, Hiccup, you're not useless. Dragon fighting...just isn't for you" He sighed again before sitting up, brushing dirt off his pants. " Your worth is not in how strong you are or how many dragons you kill" He left Hiccup to ponder his words.

 _But that's what matters most around here..._


	4. Chapter 4

**I am going to do the younger years of Hiccup before the Movie started. So it might be awhile before she meets Toothless, but maybe soon. Any, suggestions or comments are welcomed. Thanks to all who reviewed! Also, school started back up so the updates won't be as fast.**

Hiccup lazily dipped her spoon into a small bowl of fish stew, otherwise known as her breakfast. She stared at the large, steaming bowl that sat across from her own that was intended for her father. She had been waiting for awhile for him to finally come down from his room.

She slurped her stew and listened carefully. Her father's booming footsteps could be heard from upstairs. _What was he doing up there?_

Deciding she had time, she leaned under the table to string her boots up. She managed to get one fully laced before realizing the steps were closer, in the room actually. Hiccup poked her head back over the table to see her father at the door, one giant hand over the handle and the other with the bowl of stew.

He looked over her and her untied shoe before saying a single word. " No"

Hiccup got up from her chair to walk towards him, laces trailing across the floor. " But dad.."

He tipped the stew into his mouth and swallowed it in a single slurp. " No means no, Hiccup" Stoick wiped his face with an arm and sighed." Besides, I have a job for you"

Hiccup stood up a little taller, her face breaking into a grin. _Maybe this could prove to everyone she wasn't useless!_

" I need you to..." He scratched his chin in thought. " Check the village's storage"

Hiccup's shoulders sank. _Take inventory? Surely there was something else she could do!_ " Anything else?"

" No," He opened the door and stepped out. " I'll be back"

He shut the door, leaving Hiccup alone in the dark. A look of disbelief on her face. _Take inventory?_ repeated itself in her mind.

 **(Page Break)**

The grounds have been transformed for this event. Banners and flags flap in the morning sun. Surrounding the ring, a festive crowd had gathered, filled with just as much energy and tension as yesterday.

Stoick sat in his chair high above the audience, still thinking about the talk with his daughter. Sure he could have gave her another job, but he wanted to start putting responsibility on her thin shoulders slowly. _Besides, how much trouble could she get into checking the storage?_

Jack waited at the arena's main entrance, his newly polished helmet held between his hands. His eyes held no emotions as they searched among the grounds. Gobber came up behind him and merrily patted his shoulders.

"Al'righty, its ya' big mo'ment" The older man raised a hooked attachment for emphasis. " Knock 'em dead!"

Jack placed his helmet back on his dark hair. " Don't worry, I will" And with that, stepped outside to the cheering crowds. The noise seemed to thunder around him as he select a shield and a long, entricate sword. He slashed the air a few times before nodding his approval. " I'm ready"

Gobber cranked the cage door open, the Monstrous Nightmare began trying to squeeze its large head through the small opening. Jack prepared a battle stance, his sword raised above his head and clutched between white knuckles. He had only one thought...

 _It's payback time..._

 **(Page Break)**

Hiccup sighed as she counted another barrel of barley. The inside of the village's storage was a dry, dark room. Food was dried, preserved, or pickled and sent there to wait for winter. To Hiccup, this was the most boring stuffy place in the sneezed before deciding that everything was here and accounted for.

 _Thunk! Thunk!_

Hiccup's head perked up with interest. _What was that?_

She creaked the door open and let the sunlight pour inside. The sound was louder than the cheering, shouting, and roars of the arena. She searched the nearby area, only to spot something that made her tilt her head in confusion.

Ripper was viciously stabbing an Evergreen tree with his spear, his eyes were as angry as the marks left in the bark. Hiccup could hear his grumbling and watched as he became more and more irritated. " Stupid...unworthy...IDIOT!"

 _I wondered if intervening was a good idea or not. But my big mouth had other ideas..._

 _"_ Excuse me..."

Ripper yelled out, aiming his spear at Hiccup's stomach. She let out a started yelp and fell to the ground in a crumpled position. " Please don't hurt me!"

Sizing her up and deciding she was no threat, he lowered his weapon. "Oh" He spat at the ground. " It's worthless..."

" Hiccup" She corrected.

" What's the difference?" He cackled and took several steps away before saying, " All the same name for Berk's embarrassment" He jerked the spear in her direction again, mocking at the scared reaction before leaving.

Hiccup remained on the ground, tears stinging in her eyes. She drew her knees up to her chest. _Again with that nickname?_ She flinched as a bony hand rested on her back, a quick glance revealed a concerned Gothi.

( **Page Break)**

 _I've been to Gothi's hut many times before, whether with Jack or when I was sick as a child. It felt like a second home to me._

Gothi offered the young girl a steaming cup of tea, Hiccup accepted it greatfully. She sipped her beverage with caution as the elder rested in the chair beside her. Gothi placed her ancient cane at her feet, the seashells clattered around.

Hiccup glanced around the room, a collection of prediction making devices were haphazardly cluttering the space. " What's with all...this?"

Gothi frowned, slowly rising from her seat to look at the arena still filled with cheering spectators. Hiccup followed her glance and finally understood. _Everyone said Jack was like a son to her..._

"I worried about him too" she agreed. " But did any of this say he would survive?"

The old woman avoided Hiccup's eyes and shook her head. Hiccup noticed this and tried to get her to face her hardened stare. " Then _what_ did they tell you?"

Gothi's expression changed when she noticed the difference in the air...Quiet. Hiccup's stomach dropped when she too felt the stillness. The arena was too quiet...until everyone erupted into applause.


	5. Chapter 5

I **know it seems that I'm putting Hiccup through a rough time, but all this has a reason. Also, I wanted to add in a sort of mentor to show her certain things and how she became a blacksmith, how she had different opinions from the start, etc.**

The battle's end was gruesome, but thrilled the spectators surrounding the ring. A long trail of ash was left on Jack's face, burns and slashes marred his skin and clothes. The Nightmare was covered in deep cuts from Jack's sword. Finally, Jack managed to prop his foot on an injured wing and get the beast into a weakened pin.

The audience went silent, before erupting into wild applause.

The struggling dragon breathed out a pathetic stream of lava, only to have Jack's other foot pressed against it's neck. Jack raised the sword over where the dragon's heart, he closed his eyes and firmly gripped his sword with both hands.

Hiccup darted towards the blocked entrance and gripped the metal cage bars. " Jack!?" She called through shaky breaths. She saw the Nightmares pleading eyes and felt her stomach drop, the sword approaching it's chest. "Jack!"

Before Hiccup witnessed her first dragon kill, a pair of ancient hands clamped over her eyes. She heard the spectators go wild, viciously shouting and cheering. Gothi lifted her hands away with a grim, determined face.

 **(Page Break)**

Back in the Great Hall, everyone whooped and hollored in triumph. " Jack, Jack! Oi! Oi! Oi!" Jack was propped up on two Viking's shoulders again, his face was painted red streaks and held an accomplished glow. He shouted in pride and pumped his fists in the air.

"Now _that's_ a real Viking" Asher nodded in awe.

"That's gonna be me one day!" Snotlout puffed his chest out in pride.

"No, ME!" shouted Ruffnut, Tuffnut pushed her to the side. "No, ME! You buttelf!"

Fishlegs bounced on his heels. " I've read the manual about all the dragons!" The others looked at him oddly. "What? You have to know about dragons to fight them"

Mugs of mead were passed out and raised them to a toast led by Stoick. "To Jack the Headstrong!" Other Vikings repeated the new title, Jack beamed. "For proving hard determination in the face of battle!"

Cheers followed and people started to chug their beverages. Jack, back on the ground, stood proud. " Jack the Headstrong..." he nodded his approval. "Well...I like it! How about you Hiccup?" It was then he noticed her silence. "Hiccup?"

She was sitting quietly by the fire crackling in the Hall's center, eyes downcast at the floor. "Did you see the way it...looked at me?"

"What?"

" The dragon...it was scared." She said, sifting in her seat. " At the arena, I saw it"

Jack groaned, dropping his head. " Hiccup, dragons don't feel fear. In fact, they don't _feel_ any emotion." He looked back up, eyes blazing with intense anger. "They are cruel, and heartless thieves who kill our people and destroy our village!"

Hiccup sighed, deciding not to press the subject.

 **(Page Break)**

 _There were two people I knew that would answer my question. Uncle Gobber and Fishlegs. However, Gobber would tell my father about my growing interest in dragons...or more specifically, if they felt fear. And Fishlegs hasn't talked to me in months..._

Hiccup watched the other children play, before nodding determinedly at her target. _It was time to do what a runt did best..._ She drew in a deep breath before running up to the group and cheerfully calling out. "Hi guys!"

A majority of the group groaned, Snotlout snorted. "Ugh, worthless is here" He waved his hand over his nose like something smelled. "I'm leaving before the runt-ness spreads"

Ruffnut chuckled and gasped at the air. "Oh no! It is catching!" Her twin laughed and decided to join in, frailing around on the ground.

" Ugh! I got it too!" They shared a high-five before following Snotlout.

Asher groaned and lugged his prized wooden ax over his shoulder. " Why do they always do that?" He left in the opposite direction of the others.

Fishlegs suddenly noticed he was alone and yelped. He then looked behind him like he heard something. "Coming Mom!"

Hiccup jumped in front of him "Wait! I just want to ask a question!"

He looked around for a moment. "Uh...okay, but make it fast"

"Do dragons have feelings?"

"Uh..." he shrugged. "I dunno...I only read the dragon manual once and it never mentioned anything about emotions"

Hiccup looked down in disappointment. "Oh..."

Fishlegs began to stumble away. "I gotta go...my mom...?"

Hiccup kicked a stray pebble away, now alone in the grassy field. "I thought so..."

 _Not satisfied with that answer, I decided to go to Gobber._

Gobber was sharpening a sword in the forge, amber sparks flying. "Listen lass," He checked the weapon a moment, before returning it back to the wheel. " Dragons 'ave three feelings: Hungry, angry, an' not hungry"

Hiccup sighed from her seat on a table. Gobber noticed her sour expression and placed the sword away. " If its about tha' talk wi' Jack, tha' boy has a bad past with tha' beasts."

"No it's nothing," She shrugged. "I'm just curious"

Gobber nodded his head. " Aye can understan', wonderin' about tha' beasts at this age." He clasped a giant hand on her back. "First its questions, than BOOM! Ya' out there fightin' 'em" He chuckled. " Just like ya' mum"

Hiccup looked up, excitedly. "Did mom have these questions?"

"Aye think she did!" He glanced at Hiccup. " You're a lot alike, you an' her"

 _I didn't know what to say._

Gobber smiled fondly into space. " Aye can see it now! Ya' as a proud dragon-killin' Viking!"

 _I still don't know what to say..._


End file.
